Maya - Digital Sets 1-2-3-4 with Eric Hanson

Eric Hanson is a visual effects designer specializing in the creation of digital environments and effects for feature films. Having worked with leading effects houses such as Digital Domain, Sony Imageworks, Dream Quest Images, and Walt Disney Feature Animation, his work can be seen in The Day After Tomorrow, Cast Away, Hollow Man, Mission to Mars, Bicentennial Man, Atlantis, Fantasia 2000 and The Fifth Element, as well as many special-venue films. Eric is also an active instructor, leading courses on effects techniques at Gnomon School of VFX and the USC School of Cinema/TV. Eric is a member of the Visual Effects Society and attended the University of Texas at Austin. He recently published the second edition of his book on Maya techniques for Peachpit Press entitled, "Maya 6 Killer Tips". He wishes he could sleep more.

Digital Sets 1: Design, Modeling and Camera - Urban Environments with Eric Hanson
This series introduces the essential techniques for creating digital sets and backgrounds, an area of visual effects growing in prominence. In this first disc of a series of three, visual effects designer Eric Hanson reviews architectural design principles then leads into setting up a scene with a tracked camera and live-action plate. Next, Eric illustrates efficient set modeling techniques using both NURBS and polygons. Finally, the lesson provides a broad review of camerawork, from motion control to camera projection. Throughout the disc, Eric uses a sample scene of an urban environment to highlight all essential steps. The lecture is designed for all advancing intermediate Maya artists.

Digital Sets 2: Lighting and Texturing - Urban Environments with Eric Hanson
This series introduces the essential techniques for creating digital sets and backgrounds, an area of visual effects growing in prominence. In this second disc of a series of three, visual effects designer Eric Hanson covers the global illumination revolution, reviewing lighting principles specific to digital sets. He then leads into direct lighting techniques for both exteriors and interiors. Finally, the lesson highlights digital set texturing, including Adobe Photoshop techniques, and how to weather surfaces with procedural shaders. Throughout the disc, Eric uses a sample scene of an urban environment to highlight all essential steps. This series is designed for all advancing intermediate Maya artists.

Digital Sets 3: Rendering and Compositing - Urban Environments with Eric Hanson
This series introduces the essential techniques for creating digital sets and backgrounds, an area of visual effects growing in prominence. In this third disc of a series of three, visual effects designer Eric Hanson begins with rendering a Maya scene into layers and passes, then leads into the various approaches for professionally compositing and integrating a digital set into a live-action background. He examines the main composite tree in Shake, illustrating the use of the various render passes including diffuse, specular, reflection, shadow, z-depth, effects and ambient occlusion. Throughout the disc, Eric uses a sample scene of an urban environment to highlight all essential steps. This series is designed for all advancing intermediate Maya artists.

Digital Sets 4: 3D Image-Based Terrain - Combining Spherical Imagery and DEMS
In this continuation of the Digital Sets series, visual effects designer Eric Hanson illustrates a unique and powerful method to capture and re-create natural landscapes within a 3D environment. Integrating disparate technologies such as spherical panoramic photography, digital elevation models, high-dynamic range imagery, and global positioning, Eric is able to provide a reasonable substitute to nodal pan motion picture shooting, with the added ability to modify and enhance the landscape with the rich array of 3D techniques available within Maya. Various case studies are shown and provided on the DVD for the viewer to use in their own projects.